This weekend Easter Sunday fell on, but it was also what is called Dogwood Winter. It means chilly weather and rain in the valleys but in the higher elevations cold and snow. So, that is why I went to the Roans to chase Snow Miser one last time.
I had seen on the news, Saturday night, that there was snow at Carvers Gap, so I decided...why not. While others got up for Sunrise Service I got up for one of mine own. When I started up towards Carvers Gap I started to see the signs of winter I hoped for snow and ice and I wasn't disappointed.
After arriving at Carvers Gap it was cold, windy and banked in with clouds, so instead of starting on the balds, I headed south on the Appalachian Trail (AT) up to the tree covered Roan High Knob. Because it is covered with evergreens, they are a natural windbreak. I was hiking the 1.6 miles to Roan High Shelter and the highpoint of the Mastiff.
The hike up was white, however not with flowers but snow...a Winter wonderland in Spring. Oh, no wind to speak of either. The area around the Roan High Shelter, the highest on the AT at 6,285 feet, was as beautiful as the trail. On the high point, I had to remove snow from the US Geological Marker before taking a picture. I then headed back down the AT because I still had to hike up the balds.
When I got back to Carvers Gap the wind had died down and it had warmed up some. So, even with the Roan Highlands in the clouds, I headed on up. While no views and not as many trees it was still a picturesque Winter scene. I passed Dr. Brown's Trees, Round Bald, Engine Gap and finally Jane's Bald, which is where I turned around. Oh, there still were no views (added a photo of the view on a clear day for comparison).
I returned the way I came over the two balds. On the way, I ran into the Easter Bunny and I have proof, the candy she left on the trail. With warmer conditions, the trail started to become a sloppy mess. Adding to this was heading down Round Bald the Sun started to break through and there was clearing and blue sky at Carvers Gap. However, it was short-lived, as clouds rolled back in, but something that wasn't was the Trail Magic. When I arrived there was a couple making pancakes for AT Thru-Hikers. When I finished my hike there was another couple there grilling hotdogs, and they gave me one and it was good, very good.
One more thing they added a new sign to the North Carolina side of the Carvers Gap one (it is a different color). Having to get back for Easter dinner, my day in the snow came to an end. As I made my way down the mountain it was amazing the contrast of Winter on top and Spring in full view at the bottom.
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